the book signing as by david mccullough. need to cleanse from now. [background sounds]. host: .-ellipsis saturday evening, book tv has taken an opportunity to show you several programs from our archives. featuring a well-known author. tonight this is david mccullough. best-selling book, including biographies of adam countrymen. a history of the flood as well as the construction of the panama canal. up next from 2005,

mr. mccullough sits down to talk about this book on the american revolution. 1776. this is from cspan's q&a program. ♪ this week on q&a, august is offering historian david mccullough. on the genera general henry knom in maine. host: david mccullough, you told audience outside of this general henry knox museum, days ago that everybody in american should know who henry knox is pretty white.

david: because these extraordinary historian an american who seem to be miscast. seem to be fellow not prepared for the role of the history and for him to play and who not only lived up to the rule, but when over the top as it were. and as an example of a man who came from very humble origins, very little advantage in the way of education, or connections. heroes to be one of the most important americans of his day read the men that george washington discovered. and amanda george washington counted on. through nearly eight and a half years of the revolutionary war and who then counted on him as his secretary of war during the time of presidency. and he started out at the boston bookseller. very stout gregarious robust,

friendly, popular fellow who had about the equivalent of a fifth grade education. and who love books and never stopped reading. he became one of the best officers in the whole work. washington singled out to young men. almost within a week or two weeks after he had taken command. and cambridge massachusetts. these are people as he could count on pretty one was nathaniel green rated was a 303 -year-old quaker but and made a major general. having no military experience at all in the second one was henry knox. involved 25. in no military experience at all. but both of them had been reading books. in the new about the military , was entirely from books those nara those are the best ways to learn

things produced three books at the age of enlightenment. anyway, wonderful examples personifications of the enlightenment faith. if you want to learn something, pick up a book, several books. is during both physically and intellectually, is remarkable. he ingrained were the only two general officers. who became generals. estate with the war and with washington. through the entire war, not necessarily physically, personally. but with him in the sense of still fighting the war. all the other seated dropped out widely for some other reason. and with those two, right beginning, and he admired for the

perseverance. perseverance is the end. it's amazing story. but knox had the idea of going and bringing back the great cannons and mortars there. which was preposterous thought. middle of winter. the hall those guns nearly 300 miles from hudson valley to upstate new york and across the mountains and all the way to boston. that was a feet almost like something of a myth but it was real. he did it. penny did it by saying that the solution to the problem was in the problem rated the problem itself was a solution rated newsletter. how can you drink those huge cannons all of the way in winter and answer course was to build giant sleds. and that's what he did

against every imaginable quite a challenge both from the elements and from sheer exhaustion. and is one point they were hauling him over the mountains when the teamsters that he admired refuse to go on because it was too ris risky. failure to see. coming out of the hard part. these things could get away. it would kill anybody that was in front. they were not one. they said no it is too dangerous. we woke one. so this 25 -year-old bookseller, mounted discourse, canon or something. and gave them at ten after three hour speech on why they should keep on going. and they did. he wouldn't give up. that was a great quality with both he and brain. once in the washington, but that was among his strongest traits.

host: this henry knox, remain, is a place that he spent almost seven hours on the friday afternoon evening signing autographs and speaking to a group. your best seller, they are book came out, number one is the number one ever since. why would you after all the travel that you did. david: i enjoy it. i like to do it. i like to meet people who like to read my books. i like to meet people who read books. they care about american history so that i was very happy to make a book tour. it is exhausting but is also exhilarating. is also very heart warming and gratifying. to see what interest in american history there is. everywhere. los angeles, 3000 miles in 229 years away from

the year 1776. in a world that is so different to be unimaginable to those people who dissipated in the revolution. there are people in los angeles in the year 2005, who turn out in sizable numbers because of their interest in that founding time. and that's me is exciting. very gratifying. but here, in the knox house, i feel strongly that these historic sites and museums are very important for even major participants in how we educate our children and grandchildren. to bring people here to this house and bring people to the presidential home were the great battlefield or historic site of one kind of another.

is to inspire and open up the mind in a way that is not exactly like a book or movie. or an original letter. it is something else i think these places speak to us. i think they speak to us in a very moving way. the idea that this house for example was designed by general knox, that this was an expression of their time and their culture. what mattered to this oval room here for example. which would have been a familiar to knox. because of the white house let's say. it is a very. peace speaks to us today. these two big fireplaces. girl very important. because it is a different time and

different values and different notions of proportions, scale. the good life can be. this of course was the home of the very wealthy people. there is a high in the eyes of the country but it is amazing example to go to mount vernon or monticello and here grown-up visitors say they are surprised to find neither jefferson nor george washington had indoor coming or electricity. and so when you come into a room like this, people might say what they have two fireplaces. and that would open up the realities of that earlier time. we forget how much more difficult life was then. and how much more inconvenient and

comfortable closer to the vagaries and hardships of living in a rough climate such as maine. because where so insulated from the facts of life as they knew them as they were insulated from the cold in the heat where we are protected by wonderful drugs and medicines. we don't have to worry much about epidemic diseases about like the way they did. we don't have to give up a 5:00 o'clock in the morning to start fire to make the breakfast. and we don't have to blot to cure of things. plan have to the premises for the call of nature.

where softies compared to the people that time. just to get through the day peacetime. one of the best of conditions, and now the respondent to the real adversity. that tumbling. abigail adams, and letter to her husband when he was at philadelphia read the second congress. if future generations will reap the blessings somebody will have no conception of how of the hardships and sufferings of their ancestors. that is true. even for someone who lived is a handsome of skill and style as did knox's. host: you give a speech back in april a good quote written down the want to be back to you.

but all that matters, being number one, getting ahead and getting to the top attitude is getting to stop. and do whatever awful thing in the material get to the top right you think we have changed since john adams arrow rated the henry knox area. see what i do. host: in life. david: for many reasons. and for one, their education, the notion history was based on the classical history of greece and rome. understanding of virtue, honor, character, is all derived from roman history. the idea this forecast the parts

reminder parts to live up to the role you have been assigned. is there on the stage of history. if you have a sense of history, and isn't it just get along stop stuff before you came on the scene. but you also realize that when you pass from the scene, you will be part of what constitutes history. spring 14.3 they think of themselves as being someday judged by history. if you go into the old congress on capitol hill, in the capital. now statuary hall. open the door, there is rendition of cleo, the goddess

history. she's in a chariot. penetrated pulling o'clock. it was installed or about 1515. the members of congress, for they look up to see what time it is, in their moment, basically oh raining in the big book, a book of history to remind them these members of congress and representatives of the people that they are not just being judged by their own time, the term of 4-foot the judge for all times by history. washington captioning outage can also be said for their permission the loyalist just convinced that they were the true patriots.

an educational to combat perspective. wonderfully expressed in the play plato. most popular plate of the day. in the play, there's language goes, i can't guarantee success. in this struggle is war. but we can do something better. we can deserve it. what that is saying is that the outcome is not in our hands. too many other factors involved including providence. [inaudible conversation] chance or circumstance or whatever. can't control that. as individuals. individualism is essential to this whole idea of enlightenment. but we can control the week behave and we can deserve it. so even if we lose, i deserved to have one, we will have one in

that sense. very different from the present attitude. and think a very healthy reminder mother's economy humorous about the present. everything we do the right way to do it free. on those who preceded his were not quite as bright as we were. the reality of what matters pretty is an arrogant and i think ignorance view of life. there's so much that we can learn from history. there's so much we can learn from those people. the people interest me. seven but when the cost attitude of today. david: is been caused by an enormous variety of choice. just sometimes be numbing.

the thing is been caused by the stepped up momentum of life. but by materialism. too much luxury. general johnson said really just people with too much luxury. too much of a much. elected leaders, but just thought of all kinds of all fleets, genders, patients race,e the expression, and ways of people moved to bali.

people said will be admissible time. i saw it just the other day. i cannot those who the the support on. there was no simple time. i can make a good case of the 18th century was a far more complicated time, a far more challenging time. because of how much someone had to know just to survive to get by. somebody said to me, knew the blood red wagon, from here to pittsburgh pennsylvania, in december would you like to longview. i would say can make a list people from the 18th century. presented know how to do so much pride that we don't know how to do.

we are the simpler times in some ways. where no more revved up sign. were more self-conscious time. traded, reported, analyze, endlessly. everyday. constantly. so much attention from the press and the television about things of no real consequence. and it's very confusing. not so i think it lends to many people a sense that whatever you can get away with, if you get what you want to its. somebody does something is off-track, some i will say that she tried. an attitude is outspread

honesty, kindness, generosity. ambition to exceed her itself. that's different. it's what adam said, he said i wish there were more ambition in the country. ambition to excel. that is a lot different than ambition have a lot more stuff. signature number one or whatever. host: if you stall up the 2.25 million or whatever books on it use at least 2 million . on 1776. that's more people that were even alive in that time in this country. how do you explain your success such about time, your number one. number one john adams reread dupree. david: i'm not sure of a measure of that whether we are in a good time or not. it wind event time. they were a very exciting time. i think work a little off course

in sydney sydney, which age you must want to live in, right now. there are many similarities between right now in the 18th century. both are times of the tremendous change and stress. technological change. exchanging like that in our time. what's different is the speed changes for the speed of information. the speed and throwaway culture. you don't just throw away us styrofoam cups. throwaway ideas in history. we want to run today. will we americans believe and what is new in the future. places, plywood is old.

is it was new. as american. debbie turns over no leave. so in her attitude towards life. i think the difference between writings is the success of the history channel. the wonderful popularity of the films. all of that can be, in part a measure the fact that about the generations or more, give them an education our children every will industry pretty solo people and 20, and 30s and 40s are trying to get caught up don't know who theodore roosevelt was, have a very idea of what exactly he did or why he was somebody of importance pretty soon they do want to revoke or see the documentary and television. i think some of the movies that

come along been very effective. i think we human beings are interested by nature really think it is very hard about human nature. we want to know what happened before. once upon a time, long time ago, the children stories begin. the two most popular movies of all time, though not necessarily historically accurate funds historical in spirit and in setting. god what the wind and the titanic. i think those are a very important measure. tom hanks is now going to be producing a big multihour movie for television of john adams of my book tom hanks is very solid conscientious man of great integrity and taste.

i expect that movie for each them on way that maybe nothing else could. hundred times within a book of mine or other authors. tennyson right, that will be a huge step forward in my view. host: palacio john adams without any teeth. david: i hope so. so far and all i have suggested about the details, they have taken very seriously in their efforts to make everything as authentic as possible is the most remarkable. mosthat i've seen in thefield. host: any parts. david: i think it is 1130. host: what will run pretty. david: hbo. host: when. david: are going to start

filming i believe this fall. how long it will be after that i don't know. there building backlogs. a lot of it will be filled in williamsburg. in some location in europe. host: john adams, what are the chances of having a monument in washington of him. soon pretty will be just on adams or abigail or jeff with the adams or entire adams family. david: this is still open for discussion and the congress has passed a bill making it possible. and the president has signed the bill. now at work out location. we become part of the group was trying to see this happen. it has to be location in keeping with the importance principally disgrace. there is no monument, no stature

nothing of john adams in my opinion the opinion of others, except for george washington. as the most important american the time. but if you to know what i think it should be read i think it should not be another marble tomb or something like that's. i don't think it should try to rival either the washington monument of the lincoln memorial the jefferson memorial and skill. i cannot be 18th century skill. noises should be modest in size. the name promoting is mistaken, the idea that it will be adams library american letters. it will be a library open to visitors in a garden.

and some more as idea of was a library in the garden. john adams thought that to read i know you been to the house and seen a library that is in the garden there. so this would be a library we become in a look at the. the real letters of jordan abigail adams or john quincy adams are jefferson and evans of display. in these exhibits will change from time to time. and you can go out and be in the garden. so nice mentioned there would be a garden the time of that of ago had with fruit trees and flowers and herbs and so forth really i would be sort of an oasis in the midst of washington there would be other exhibits as well from time to time read the library of congress and the massachusetts historical society which are the

great adams family papers. thus far said, it would be very happy to have some of their treasures unloaded the library read and think would be in keeping with our their great contribution to imagine life. it is just my view. john abigail adams did with the did as patriots print as believers in the cause of america and independence and equality. they reported what was happening. they describe the people and the feelings at the time. in a way that no other couple dead. and that in itself, thousands of letters for an enormous disservice to their country. don't think they root them with that in mind read and that is in the result. host: a couple minutes ago, one of the leaders of this museum on

ace around upstairs in the bedroom of henry knox. asking him how old he was. he said 56 he died of chicken bone in his throat. i wanted you to talk about medicine earlier but go back to the time when he blew a couple of fingers often at what age did he do that. and what impacted pretty soon his book the rapids and the rest of his life in advantage. david: yes. david: life was tough then. and the way life better people was apparent in their parents. people a connect then something wrong with them when i started missing teeth missing fingers. a partner year. because life be tough on you and there were no cosmetic surgeons. their work nor orthodontist. sixtys and the rest.

that he listen to thought you lost a tooth. if you lost it at 25, there was. you read the description of the deserters for example. the most vivid of all of those instructions of the 18th century soldiers. and again and again, there is something physically noticeable about them. henry knox lost two fingers of his left hand. the third and fourth finger of his left handed and averred shooting expedition what is about 22 i would guess. he kept it wrapped because he felt it was unsightly read he didn't want that to be distracting thing. nathaniel greene, decided limp because of a childhood accident. john trouble, the great american painter, at the use of only 19. because of a childhood accident.

>> , and predict with they did this with them. john trouble became one of the great painters of the sun. despite few had the use of only one eye. greatly altered his depth perception. very interesting to see that the small versions of his famous paintings. the sightings of the declaration of independence with the death warrant of a bill. in the small meeting art much stronger than the large paintings that are on display the rotunda of the capital. large part because of that problem. a boxing ring it would have been rejected because they were physically unacceptable. but they didn't let that stand in the way read in any way, it makes them more vivid somehow. the more identifiable. like characters. you would know them the minute

they walked in the room pretty certainly no henry knox because it would be the biggest fellow the world. host: mentioned earlier that knox was 25 when he first lesson of george washington. and 43 for george washington. he also mentioned, only mention alexander hamilton and three pages in your book you say he was 19. what were the parameters. what did you not write and was a little on alexander hamilton. david: is a never writing they're going to become later. husky said the point. writing about what they are doing at that point. alexander hamilton and james monroe but they are briefly because they were very minor parts of the story that point. they were very good officers. the potatoes that. but they were the people of real consequence and what happened the wake knox agreement another sports. i also write about people like that who was a farmer from

connecticut john greenwood from boston and joseph hutchins, massachusetts shoemaker is one of my favorite characters of all point in most people, the real part in the time period that moment. and we know because the road about a pretty all that we know is what with having diaries and letters. there were no correspondents covering the war. reporting what a terrific job alexander hamilton just did. nor were there artists correspondence winslow homer covered the civil war read all we have are orderly posts, the government records various times. in greece diaries letters of somebody kept a diary, or a lot of letters, really force it out and tells you what it was like

describes the scene in the viewing said suffering hardships. and that person is taking us into the times. try as best i can to be the moment and how human returning the moment because i think is intellectually more honest no way i'd and that these people don't know what is going to happen next anymore than we do in our time. the docent with the outcomes going to be pretty a non- don't know that alexander hamilton will be secretary-treasurer print but he can even thinking about that pretty they're thinking tysabri the next hour. in the very often the situation they don't know what is going to happen. infusion rains all around. that's important to remember if you're trying to get inside of that time and understand the humans and situation and to feel

it. i don't think you can really know anything until you feel that. i think you have got to care. otherwise you can get all the facts and figures and statistics and insights, they are necessarily the truth. ... ... >> it is those people. will they read what i wrote? yes. you got it. that's the way it was.

or will they say, luck. you are way off mark here. that's not what it was like. let me tell you what it was like. and if there is a hereafter , he did all right. >>cspan2: when did you decide there would be a book 1776? >> when i was writing john adams. he was in philadelphia and they get reports of what was happening in new york. when it comes back the battle of long island is a fiasco. 1000 americans taken prisoner and 300 killed washington has been outflanked and outsmarted and then they escape from brooklyn when i read all of that which was happening and writing a biography you cannot

stray off ten pages he has no involvement in i thought i would like to write about all that was going on besides and independence hall in philadelphia and how much of what was happening and that depended on this ragtag army under washington and how they were performing and how much of a chance they had. >> when did you decide to call it that? >> people say the revolutionary war in the year 1776 what is your theme? i have no idea what my theme

is. i hope by the time i finish writing the book i would know what it is but also that i can step back and look at it and that this might be the title. >> what is your reaction? >> it took my breath away. it was extraordinary. >> it is in the ninth printing now. >> how many books? >> one.5 million. >> the first printing was 1 million copies. when the publisher told me tha that, i said i don't know what you're doing. i couldn't believe it. but the reward and the pleasure is in the work. really that is what matters.

>> when did you finish? >> november 2004. >> you said made a decision when you are of john adams did you make the decision about that book? >> no i have not of still thinking about it. >>cspan2: what on - - how they wish her book tour? >> 20 for cities. >>cspan2: what is a 72 -year-old man going to 20 for cities when you didn't have to? >> i enjoy it. i thought i can't do this with an i thought let's go. >> i like meeting people i like seeing what's happening in the country. i can tell you i went to many of the same cities five years ago when adams was published to see how they are changing

and what exciting things are going on new libraries and convention centers and cities look better than i have seen them look, there is much to be encouraged about by modern present-day america i really do and people are proud of their cities. and optimistic it is very reassuring that i have come back feeling better about the country and the time we live in and more confident about the future. >> what next book do you thank you want to do? so what kind of a book does the country need? >> i never think about that. that's it because you have to

live with the subjects day after day if you are not enthusiastic about their work what is your inclination right now? >> this morning i had 24 ideas for a book i would like to read. books that don't exist that i would love to read which is part of why i have gone about it my full writing career in life i've been doing it 40 years and i just trusted you could say something this morning i would say that's what i want to do and i don't push it i don't just get going for the sake of getting going. so to give you an example you are to got a guy not to give

you one example. >> i would love to read a book everything going on in london during the revolution the loyalist thousands of americans who were there people of considerable consequence trouble goes over during the war they think he's a spy he might have been put them in the tower of london for a little while. there was a lot of spies french, british, great material and of course all the politics of the time and others who are on that point

of view, to a point. but the same kind of book could be written about the civil war for all that was going on. i would love to read a book about charles wilson peel the philadelphia painter who was into everything. talk about the 18th surgery century enthusiast who was a painter and tinker of mechanical advice on - - devices and an archaeologist a soldier and politician. he knew everybody. and the idea who is not a general or a politician or soldier appeals to me. >>cspan2: no interest in the

present? or in your lifetime or truman? >> no. that wasn't quite present. >>cspan2: in your lifetime? >> not particular i will stay in the 18th century. i like it there and i'm starting to know everybody i like the change in the literature. >> how did you get to know henry knox? >> to his letters. they are in a variety of places. most of those are at the morgan library in new york but the diary of his track from ticonderoga which i have reproduced in the book in the picture section of the book in its actual size that's at the

massachusetts historical society. >>cspan2: are you on the board? >> i've never been on the board but i'm actively involved. that's one of the most wonderful collections in the country three presidential libraries in one all of adam's papers, john adams and john quincy adams and then jefferson papers. >> you pop up everybody wants you on their historical boards how many do you serve on now? >> at the moment i'm on none but as i can stay working for mount vernon and the library of congress and the massachusetts historical society interest for preservation, the new york historical society, monticello

public libraries in general. i do as much as i can to support and help and make known the opportunities presented by public libraries but also responsibility communities out to support them i'm an honorary member for a big drive for the pittsburgh carnegie library which was the first public library ever went to. also the library of congress i will do what i can to help the library of congress as long as i can. >>cspan2: you probably gave henry more publicity than he ever had in his life with your book? >> i don't know. >>cspan2: this has 14000 visitors in the last year that

is relatively small but allied of libraries are going down the new lincoln library but what do you have for a place like this route one in maine? easy to see montpelier to get people to come here? >> to encourage everyone that does come here to tell people it's a worthwhile place to stop and you can't miss it coming up route one. >> anything they should do here to get people in entertain them or inform them? >> i think the people come into the spaces and rooms and know the story that supports people in. if you don't buy a house you say that's a beautiful house and nothing ever happened is not too interesting you could drive firehouse that looks

like a shack until the story of what happened and people would be interested. i think our affection as a people for historic landmarks and buildings of all kinds has increased tenfold if not more in the last 34 years. and then that movement to protect historic buildings every part of the country isn't just tearing down buildings because their old buildings we lose something of ourselves. and vandals that's not the

right thing to do. >>cspan2: you talked a lot lately about teachers he testified in front of congress have to do far better job teaching teach teachers those that graduate with degrees with an education they go to school and education a major and they know something called education but they don't know a subject. we have teachers that c-span this summer and they were very happy when they heard you say that. >> there should be a good liberal arts education or spanish or physics or whatever or a young teacher going to work for the first time in a classroom who doesn't know history or biology and is

required to teach that subject has a handicap the list to say not because they don't know the subject but they have no enthusiasm for the subject. most of us have been lucky enough to have teachers in our experience that were enthusiastic about what they were teaching. it is that love of the subject that is infectious and opens the door or the window for us. furthermore if the teacher doesn't know biology or history or mathematics, then they are much more dependent on textbooks with that are far less that which we would wish some are abysmal some are designed to kill any interest a youngster may have in history you have to have teachers who love what they are teaching and use good

books the essential for education is not a fancy building or a lesson plan the essential is a great book a great teacher and the midnight oil of hard work we don't emphasize work enough in teaching. these are all generalizations. there are superb teachers and i have said in that same speec speech, there is no more important person in our society than teachers they count more than anybody doing the most important work than anybody in our way of life. i have a son who is a teacher i'm proud as can be he is a teacher and i know how much he has to put up with and it's less then one word want. >> he teaches english literature in high school in massachusetts and he's a very

good teacher. >>cspan2: i was sent a lot of questions. what are the rewards for teachers if they have historical knowledge and excellent in their field do they get anything special? >> i think they get the same thing no matter what line of work you are in the reward is the work itself with the knowledge they are influencing hundreds, thousands of young americans in the course of their career. i don't know the statistics on how many lives a teacher will touch in the course of a career of 25 or 30 years but it must be a sizable crowd. that's very important. and the love of learning that's the most important.

because education only gets rolling after you leave college or graduate school that's when you really began to learn and read. if you have that instilled in you. >>cspan2: some teachers are not happy with no child left behind. one asks can any exam give meaningful data of the students understanding and willingness to participate in democracy? >> no. it is simply a measure of how much is known or not known when a youngster cannot tell you or a senior at a good university can't tell you the commanding american general was at cornwallis at yorktown you know there is a problem. weather knowing it was george washington will make a better

citizen that's immaterial. but the fact washington was the commanding general they probably don't even know what it is or why it was important and clearly doesn't know much about the history of the revolutionary war. and that's a pretty serious flaw and indicates we are not educating our children as well as we should. no question about the historic ignorance of young americans it has been shown in countless studies and surveys and anyone who teaches are lectures to spend time on campus knows that from first-hand experience. >>cspan2: 57 percent and

history should start at the dinner table how do you start at the dinner table? >> how do you allocate your time how much time is that same family spending watching television? the average family spends three and four hours a day watching television don't tell me you couldn't give up an hour of television to do something of this kind. i think dinner table conversation, i have had many people say they agree their own memories and experience it can be over the lifetime at home could be more important than school. >> what if they don't have a history of knowing history? >> note they know the history of their own lives they know what they are grandfather did

where they came from what part they played in american life or american history where they could go to the library and get some books. the public library. look at the public library. there they are in every community free. free to the people. all the knowledge, all the information and art and literature and ideas of history of all time are available in the public library to everybody for free no other society or civilization ever had such an advantage and we take that for granted. people say there's not enough money. first there is. do you know what we spend on

lawncare or potato chips? of course there is how society spends its money that's also said for how the individual spends their money it's an example of what that matters to them. you to get a complete college education graduate school education just by going to the public library for free. which was part of the idea in the first place there should be no lead on people because they can't afford to go to college and university so we will have a public place they can all go. >> when do you expect us to see another david mccullough book? >> i have no idea how long it takes is how long it takes somebody said how long your legs? he said long enough to reach

the ground. i have no idea depends on how large the subject is. >> 56 years of his life what one thing looms the most important? >> the man had a capacity for a great idea innovative idea and the capacity to make it happen. ideas are pretty easy but doing them as hard. he had the idea and he had it. >>cspan2: thinking mr. mccullough. >> thank you. ♪

going back to 2011 speaking about the history of american ex-pats in paris. >> good afternoon. you are here on the first national book festival in history on its second day. thank you for coming. [applause] thank you for bringing the sun out and make it